Mojtaba Khamenei
Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei is an Iranian politician and cleric. The second eldest child of Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei served in the Iran–Iraq War from 1987 to 1988, and also reportedly took control of the Basij paramilitary militia that was used to suppress the protests over the 2009 election. He is seen as the most influential son of Khamenei and as a possible successor to his father as Supreme Leader.
Early life and education
Mojtaba was born in Mashhad in 1969 and is the second son of Ali Khamenei, the Supreme leader of Iran. After graduating from high school, he studied theology. His early teachers included his own father and Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi.In 1999, he continued his studies in Qom to become a cleric. Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi, Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani and Mohammad Bagher Kharazi were his teachers there.
According to The Guardian and French newspaper Libération, among other sources, Mojtaba Khamenei is widely believed to control large financial assets. This allegation was rejected by Assembly of the Forces of Imam's Line, an Iranian political group led by his uncle Hadi Khamenei.
Political activities and influence
Support for Ahmadinejad
Khamenei was affiliated with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and supported Ahmadinejad in the 2005 and 2009 presidential elections. Journalists stated that he may "have played a leading role in orchestrating" Ahmadinejad's electoral victory in 2009.Khamenei was speculated to have been "a key figure in orchestrating the crackdown against anti-government protesters" in June 2009. He is believed to have been directly in charge of the paramilitary Basij, a blackout of his name in the regime press notwithstanding.
In an open letter, Mehdi Karroubi, a reformist candidate in the 2009 election, accused Mojtaba Khamenei of conspiring to rig the election in Ahmadinejad's favor, referring to illegal interference of "a network".
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad later accused Mojtaba Khamenei of embezzling from the state treasury.
On 14 January 2026, during the 2025-2026 Iranian protests, U.S. Treasury Department Secretary Scott Bessent announced that "millions and tens of millions"" of dollars have been wired by Iran's leaders to financial institutions worldwide, and Israel's Channel 14 reported that $1.5 billion in cryptocurrency had been sent to an account in Dubai with the involvement of Khamenei.
Speculation as possible successor
Several analysts have considered Mojtaba as a possible successor to his father. This is thought by some to present a problem, for the Supreme Leader needs to be elected by the Assembly of Experts from among senior Shia Islamic scholars, but it has been noted that the previous incumbent, Ruhollah Khomeini, exerted a strong influence in favor of the choice of Khamenei’s father. The Guardian argues that "The strength of Mojtaba's following has not been demonstrated", and while he wears clerical robes he "by no means has the theological status" to rise to Supreme Leader, although it notes that. According to the Los Angeles Times, Mojtaba's religious and political stature may still not be enough for Ali Khamenei to one day unveil his son as his successor. However, the Assembly of Experts is considered by The Atlantic to be a ceremonial body without any real power.During the presidency of Ebrahim Raisi, Mojtaba was one of the clerics speculated as a possible successor as supreme leader. However, he is considered unlikely to succeed his father. Unconfirmed reports state that Ali Khamenei has opposed nominating his son as successor. The Middle East Institute opined that Khamenei appointing his own son as successor would cause conflict within the Iranian political and religious leadership.
Personal life
Mojtaba teaches theology in the Qom Seminary. Mojtaba Khamenei married Zahra Haddad-Adel in 2004. Their first child was born in 2007.Wealth
Mojtaba Khamenei is widely believed to control significant financial assets in banks such as Bank Ayandeh.A year-long investigation by Bloomberg, citing assessments from people familiar with the matter, reported in January 2026 that Khamenei is linked to an offshore financial network used to hold and move assets outside Iran. The reported holdings include high-value real estate in London and Dubai, as well as interests connected to shipping, banking relationships, and hospitality assets in Europe. According to the investigation, the assets were generally not held in Khamenei’s name but structured through intermediaries and layered corporate entities across multiple jurisdictions. Some of these assets have since been sold or restructured amid increased scrutiny.
Bloomberg identified Ali Ansari, an Iranian businessman sanctioned by the United Kingdom, as a central alleged facilitator in the network. Property records and corporate filings reportedly link Ansari and associated companies to several London properties, including residences on The Bishops Avenue, and to hotel ownership and management entities in Germany and other countries. Ansari has denied any financial or personal relationship with Mojtaba Khamenei and has stated that he intends to challenge the UK sanctions.
The investigations further alleged that funds linked to the network largely originated from Iranian oil revenues and were routed through financial institutions in multiple jurisdictions, despite international sanctions imposed on Mojtaba Khamenei in 2019.